Man Is Arraigned In Stabbing Deaths

Victor Cartagena, 48, of 930 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem, was arraigned yesterday afternoon on two counts of criminal homicide before District Justice Elizabeth Romig of Bethlehem.

Romig then committed Cartagena to Northampton County Prison and said that bail would be set by Northampton County Court. She set 10 a.m. Feb. 4 as a tentative date for a preliminary hearing.

Cartagena is charged with the stabbing deaths of Victoria Rivera, 28, of 1269D Woodbine St., Bethlehem, and John Pieller, 55, of 808 Washington St., Freemansburg, at about 12:36 a.m. on Jan. 10 at the Woodbine Street address.

Cartagena was arrested yesterday at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center, where he had been admitted with stab wounds last Monday, the night of the incident.

Bethlehem detective John Kuruc, prosecutor in the case, picked up Cartagena at the hospital center shortly before noon yesterday. He was first taken to Lehigh County District Justice William Burdette for arraignment in that county, and then transported to Romig's office in Northampton County.

During the arraignment at Romig's office, John Cruz, an employment counselor at the Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations in Bethlehem, acted as a translator for Cartagena.